Lychees are a very unique fruit that you may be a little skeptical about tasting. They aren’t the most attractive-looking fruit, and there is no denying that they are a little odd in appearance. However, most of the time they actually taste pretty good.
If you haven’t tasted Lychee fruit before, then it is difficult to get the appeal of this fruit. But all that will change when you give it a taste. That being said, convincing yourself to give this fruit a try is definitely easier said than done.
When you look at lychees, it is difficult to imagine exactly what these fruits taste like. Well, there is one key flavor to this fruit and that is that it is sweet. The flavor of a Lychee is overwhelmingly sweet, so much sweeter than you could have anticipated.
In this guide, we’re taking a quick and simple look at everything you should know about Lychee fruit before you give them a taste. Read on to find out more!
What Is A Lychee?
Firstly, let’s take a look at exactly what a Lychee is. A lychee, or lychee fruit as it is often known, is a type of fruit that looks somewhat like a strawberry or a raspberry. Lychee fruit are small, red berry-like fruits that look fairly normal on the outside.
A lot of people compare them to grapes simply because the skin of a Lychee fruit is very similar to the skin of a grape.
These strange-looking fruits are tropical fruits and they are native to China. However, like many other types of fruit, Lychees have become popular across the world.
The fruit itself is small in size and fairly round. The outside of the fruit is a rich red color, while the flesh inside is a shocking white.
Like a lot of tropical fruits, Lychees thrive in hot and humid conditions. They are best grown in warm climates and will usually be ready to pick between May and June each year.
The fact that these fruits are harvested in spring and summer has made many people associate Lychee fruit with these warmer months. The color of this fruit only further reinforces this.
As this fruit is native to China, China is still the largest producer of lychees. These fruits are grown and harvested in China and then shipped across the world. However, they are also grown in other countries including India.
As different countries started to grow lychees, these fruits have adapted slightly, and that is why there are a couple of different types of lychee. It is believed that there are as many as 33 types of lychee in China, and 25 in India too.
Generally, the flavor of this fruit doesn’t differ too much by location. So with that in mind, let’s take a look at what Lychee fruit tastes like.
What Do Lychee Fruits Taste Of?
As we said earlier, when you first taste Lychee, there is one thing that you will notice immediately. That is that this fruit is incredibly sweet.
Lychees are similar to grapes in appearance, but unlike grapes, you will not eat the skin of a lychee.
The flesh inside the lychee is incredibly sweet, and without the flavor of the skin to offset the sweetness of the flesh, the sweetness of this fruit really is noticeable. Of course, there is more to the flavor of Lychee than just how sweet it is.
Aside from the sweetness of the Lychee fruit, there is a lot of debate regarding what this fruit tastes like.
As is often the case with tropical and rare fruits, most people who taste lychee choose to compare it to other types of fruit, and this is really where lychee fruit splits opinions.
Some people report that Lychee fruit tastes very similar to a strawberry, which makes sense as strawberries are pretty sweet and have a similar color to Lychees too. Other people report that Lychee tastes very similar to a grape.
Again, this makes sense due to the similarities in the consistency of these two fruits. Most people will agree that Lychee fruit is pretty much a combination of these two fruits.
So, if you’re unsure what Lychee fruit will taste like, you should expect a sweet fruit that is a combination of the flavor of a grape and a strawberry.
How To Prepare And Serve Lychees
Now that we’ve taken a look at what Lychee fruit tastes like, let’s take a look at how to prepare and serve lychees. As we have said, Lychees can’t be consumed as they are as you cannot eat the skin.
So, you will need to do some preparation before consuming your lychees.
Luckily preparing your lychee fruit to eat is easy, and you can do it as you go. To eat this fruit, you simply need to peel the skin back using your fingers. Once you have gained access to the flesh, you can simply suck at this.
The act of sucking on the flesh will separate the flesh from the seed. Once you have consumed all the flesh, you can then simply throw the seed away. Repeat this until you have consumed all the lychees you plan on eating. It really is that simple!
Summary
In short, like a lot of different types of fruit, Lychees have a very sweet flavor. Lychee fruit is a lot sweeter than you could possibly anticipate it would be which is why the flavor can be a little overwhelming when you first taste this fruit.
However, there is no denying that this fruit is very delicious. As long as you can move past the strange appearance, and even stranger appearance of the inside of the fruit, then you will be able to appreciate how delicious these fruits are.
We hope you’ve found this information helpful, thank you for reading!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you eat lychee fruit raw. This fruit tastes best when it is fresh, and this is when it is at its most flavorful. Peel the fruit, then nibble or suck the fruit from the seed to really enjoy your Lychee fruit at its best.
Lychee fruit has been associated with toxicity when consumed in large amounts. That is why you should avoid eating a lot of lychee. In smaller amounts, Lychee is perfectly safe to eat.
However, if you are considering an eating contest where you consume a large amount of lychee fruit, we would urge you to reconsider your plans.
